It sounds like a bit of a head-scratcher: Department store giant Nordstrom says its new concept store won't actually have any clothing in stock.

Instead, Nordstrom Local will focus on free consultations with personal stylists, who will advise customers and then have the merchandise brought in. People can also get manicures and curbside pickup.

Prospective customers will be able to make appointments "online, over the phone or in-person," the retailer says.

Nordstrom thinks the streamlined experience reflects the way many people want to shop now. The concept store is set to open Oct. 3 in West Hollywood, Calif.

"Shopping today may not always mean going to a store and looking at a vast amount of inventory," Shea Jensen, Nordstrom's senior vice president of customer experience, told The Wall Street Journal. "It can mean trusting an expert to pick out a selection of items."

I could have sworn there was already a thread talking about online retailers impact on brick and mortar stores. I could not find the thread, so I'm just starting a new one for this bit of news.

Honestly, ever since I heard about Tesla's showrooms, I figured this was the future of brick and mortar, and it looks like Nordstrom's agrees (at least for now). I pretty much swore off brick and mortar shopping years ago, but, honestly, this type of showroom experience does sound appealing to me. It gets rid of a lot of the things I hate about shopping in store. I wouldn't be surprised if more stores started doing this in the near future.